Beth Ann -a plein air painting from Morro Bay

 

Beth Ann   oil 11x14

Purchase info here.

In August of 2021 my husband and I camped in Morro Bay.  The RV Campground graciously gave us a spot at the last minute when all of the state campgrounds closed abruptly and we lost our reservation.  What a blessing this turned out to be!  We were within walking distance of Morro Rock and the boats docked in the bay.  A tiny hunk of Moro Rock is visible in the upper right corner.  This is one of three plein air pieces still available from that trip.  

Below is another plein air piece I did on a trip to Idaho in March.  I love painting old structures, and the  junk on the outside was especially enticing.  I have family that lives in Kuna on this old family farm property.  This is the original homestead house built on 80 acres in 1908.   I surprised the current owner with the painting to thank her for letting me paint on her property, but more than that, I felt that she should have it.  She had grown up there, and has wonderful memories of her parents and grandparents, and how proud they were of their farm purchased in 1965. They grew sweet and feed corn.  Much of the farmland in Idaho is being developed into housing.  I hope this parcel will stay in the family. 

Old Idaho Homestead   oil 9x12

(sorry the photo is a bit blurry)

 

Rental 21

 

Rental 21   oil 9x12 inches

Purchase info here.

In June, my husband and I camped in the High Sierras at Twin Lakes.  We "dry" camped in our small RV between tall pines.  The RV barely fit between the trees!  No phone service and no internet.  I quickly realized how often I Google something!  But back to the painting.  On our last day, we hiked down to the lake for breakfast in the diner, then time to paint.  I noticed high rainclouds, but a gentleman who did have internet assured us there was no rain in the forecast.  (You can guess how this story ends.)  I set up to paint, and after about 30 minutes of dissatisfaction, wiped off and spun my easel in the direction of this scene.  I was nearing the finish when a very strong wind came up.  (The kind of wind when people scream, grab things and run for cover.)  I held onto my easel till it passed, and noticed the clouds had darkened.  Finishing quickly, I then packed up and we hiked about a mile back to our RV.  In an instant, the clouds let loose with big drops.  The wet earth and pines smelled wonderful! I'm happy with this little painting.  Sometimes having to paint fast is an advantage. It results in an underworked loose and lively painting.  

IN OTHER NEWS:  I have a few spaces left in my November 13-14 Workshop.  This in-person workshop is chock full of content.  You'll learn a lot in just two days!  Email me for a full description.  karenwernerart@gmail.com

Dock O' The Bay -SOLD

 

Dock O' The Bay    oil 11x14 inches  

Purchase info here. 

While visiting Moro Bay I did a field study of this exact scene.  It was my favorite scene in the whole place.  I loved the glassy water and the vibrant reds of this small fishing boat and dinghy.  A few nice folks came and talked with me as I painted and my husband brought me a cup of clam chowder.  A big fat seal was sleeping next to the dinghy and everyone wanted to know if I'd include it in my painting.  It was a bit hazy, but you can still see Morro Rock in the upper right.  My field study was quite rough and unfinished, so I decided to use as refernce for this studio piece.  

Boats In The Bay -a plein air painting from Morro Bay

 

Boats In The Bay  oil 8x10 inches

Purchase info here.  

In August we had an RV camping trip planned for Pismo Beach and Hearst/San Simeon. The night before we left I found out that the state campground in San Simeon had closed due to Covid.  We scrambled to find another spot and fortunately booked a space in Morro Bay.  What a blessing in disguise!  We enjoyed biking through town, eating fresh fish, and clam chowder.  I managed to squeeze in a couple of paintings.  For this one I positioned myself on an elevated boardwalk.  Morro Rock and the boats posed nicely for me, my husband helped carry my gear, and read a book patiently nearby.  It seems like so long ago now.  I've been housebound too long and I'm itching to travel and paint again.  I'm pretty sure I'm not the only one that feels this way.  In the next post, a studio painting based on a plein air study from Morro Bay.  

Cheapie Del Rio SOLD

oil 10x8 inches Purchase info here. This little boat with the funny name sits off the north shore of Balboa Island. It's a favorite subject for many painters. I painted this from my photo reference. The painting is framed and ready to hang. If you're interested in purchasing, and would like to see a photo of it in the frame, just email me. karenwernerart@gmail.com

Dock & Dinghy -a plein air painting from Balboa Island -SOLD

oil 11x14 inches This is one of the many paintings I'll have in my display at the Balboa Island Artwalk this coming Sunday. Don't miss the fun! One hundred artists along South Bayfront. Art of all kinds and live music too. Hours are 9-5. Park in the Balboa Pier Parking lot and take the ferry on foot across to the island. Stepping off the ferry, turn left onto the sidewalk and you'll find me.

A Little Bit Dinghy -plein air paintings from Balboa Island -sold

Here are some shots of the last two paintings I did as part of Just Plein Fun on Balboa Island.

A Little Bit Dinghy 8x8 inches was my quick draw. About thirty artists participated along South Bay Front, having two hours to complete a painting. It was fun and festive, with an awards ceremony complete with Olympic music and gold medals. This painting sold off the easel which was a great ending to a great week. Is my head really that big, or is the painting really that tiny? Ha!

This 12x9 was my thank you gift to my hostess, Joanne. It was so kind of her to open her lovely home to me and let me come and go as I please. This is an island cottage that I thought would make a cheerful painting with its sunflowers. The quick draw was the grand finale of the week. There you have it, finally!!! Here's a shot of the participants on Gala Night. I really enjoyed getting to know a few of these fellow painters. I hope to be invited again next year.

Stop by this great little gallery when you're on the island. Some of the work from the event is still on display. 229 Marine Ave, Suite E, Balboa Island, CA. 949-723-6171

Bouys & Boats -a plein air painting from Balboa Island

oil 12x9 inches and framed. magnify Monday, August 1st was pretty warm on the island and I ended up painting in direct sun. So by Tuesday I took advantage of morning overcast. At first, no sun and shadow, but they were both on the way, so I planned to add the lights at the end of my painting session. Available at Debra Huse Gallery, 229 Marine Ave, Suite E, Balboa Island, CA 949-723-6171

Boats & Bouys -a plein air oil painting from Balboa Island, CA -sold

oil 9x12 inches magnify/purchase info Happy New Year everyone! This is my last painting of 2015. I took off down to Balboa Island on the last day of the year for some plein air with my feet in the sand. The sun was out and it was about 68 degrees in the shade. I was overdue for this kind of stuff, so it felt like Heaven. I used a very limited palette of color: T white, Cad Yellow light, Cad Red light, Ultramarine Blue, Cobalt and Alizarin. I painted pretty fast in an effort to keep it fresh, not overworked. It took me two hours to drive home in the holiday traffic, but I don't mind. It was a great way to end the year.

Deck Work -a plein air painting from Balboa Island, CA -SOLD

oil 9x12 inches magnify The second morning I found a nice place in the shade for this piece. The worker was coming and going, but I got plenty of phone shots of him in different positions. I placed the figure in the initial draw-in, then finished him last using my photo references. The human element always adds life and interest to what otherwise might be a fairly mundane scene. This painting is framed and available at The Debra Huse Gallery, Balboa Island, CA. 949-723-6171

Simple Fishing

oil 9x12 inches magnify/purchase The last few days of our trip we camped on the Rogue River at Grants Pass, Oregon. This couple went out each morning from the other side of the river to fish. They would float away downriver and then motor back up again within view. I tried to capture this simple, peaceful little excursion in their small shiny boat. What a nice morning for the blue-shirted lady. I think she was just along for the ride. Once I got the scene drawn in, the boat floated away of course. So I worked on the rest of the scene until they returned again and again never in the exact same position. I had to rely on my memory. It was a fun challenge and forced me to simplify the figures. Does the painting make you want to get in that little boat?

A Little Dinghy 2 -SOLD

oil 12x9 inches magnify/purchase After painting A Little Dinghy I wanted to bring down the horizon line, tweak the color in the water and include three objects rather than just two. Might as well go a bit larger while I'm at it.

A Little Dinghy -SOLD

oil 8x6 inches magnify/purchase Sometimes I feel a little dinghy. How 'bout you? Painted from my photo reference taken on Balboa Island. The next day I painted another version of this scene which I will post next.

Rusty Relic

oil 9x12 inches click for purchase info and magnifier Fellow artist, Nick Brown gave me permission to use his reference photo for this piece, painted last September. The old boat is located in Inverness, CA, and is a favorite subject for painters and photographers.

Cold Perch

oil on Gessobord 10x8 inches FRAMED

Click to Purchase

In November our bike ride across the Golden Gate Bridge ended in Sausalito where this huge seagull posed for me. The ferry passed by and "ooh, ooh--the yellow and the yellow!" I thought all the grays and blues with yellow accents might make a good painting. My first piece in a long time painted on a black ground and a smoother surface than usual, I had a lot of fun. It's so energizing to try something different.

Waiting To Sail SOLD

oil on canvas panel 8x6 inches

Yesterday was a perfect day of painting with friends on Balboa Island. I chose this scene for sentimental reasons, but also to gain practice at conveying distance and ocean water. I can see progress compared to my first attempt..which was, oh my gosh, more than a year ago! I've got to get out more often!

"Alaska" SOLD

watercolor on paper 10x14 inches

While visiting San Diego a few years ago I took lots of boat pictures, one of which was used as a reference for this painting. The complementary pair rust and blue was the first attraction, but the contrast of the white vessel against the grays really makes the painting. I used just four colors, mostly my old standbys: quinacrodone burnt orange and ultramarine blue.